


It's Been A While, Robocop

by egg_murder



Category: Archive 81 (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Let them reconcile you cowards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 22:03:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19484923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/egg_murder/pseuds/egg_murder
Summary: Dan was finally home and readjusting to life outside The City. He meets someone he hasn't seen in a while.





	It's Been A While, Robocop

Dan was walking to his apartment from the Seven Eleven when he felt something was off. Since Nicholas sent him home, he was left alone by LMG. It was odd to not be running, but he was deciding to just live it up while he can. Today though, he feels the shiver running up and down his back. He holds himself with his arms and continues towards the elevator. Dan presses the correct button and shifts towards the back of the elevator, just in case any other tenant would want to get in the elevator. It reaches his floor and he exits, walking towards his apartment. He opens the door with shaky hands as the feeling of dread and fear sink into him. Something is in his apartment. 

He braces himself for Nicholas, or worse, waiting for him in his apartment. The hand holding his key grips the metal like it is his lifeline. Stepping further into his apartment he is met with the cold as if ten AC units were blasting at once. 

The second he steps into the living room the bag drops out of his hand and he can't suppress the giant sigh of relief when he sees who is there. 

"Dan," DROMEN starts, unsure of what to say to their life long best friend. "Hey buddy...or is it buddies?" Dan smiles, moving towards them. 

"We would prefer buddies..." They quietly say, looking away from him. "Well it's good to see all of you," He smiles. 

DROMEN shyly looks back at Dan, "You're not mad?" Dan shakes his head, "Nah dudes, I-I get it."

They let out a sigh of relief, "We were so worried about if-" Dan engulfs them in a hug. "You haven't changed a bit," He whispers in the shifted visage of his best friend, or maybe he should say best friends? He doesn't know, this would probably require a conversation. One he knows is coming but he doesn't feel like particularly having right now. He just wants to be here, in the arms of DROMEN because they're still the one thing he has left. Dan doesn't know why this reunion has brought him to tears, but it has and he wouldn't have it any other way. 

Dan feels when DROMEN finally relaxes into the hug and it makes him pull them closer. 

Sometimes memories flash back to DROMEN, ones of Dan in college with red solo cups and giggles over some dumb junk food they ordered from a gas station, Dan's smile when he finally found a job that he wanted to do, the late nights they spent in the library studying, with memories sprinkled in of them spending holidays together. They know they shouldn't feel things but they do when they look at Daniel Powell. It's not something in a romantic sense, but it's something that is strong and continues pulls them to check in on him. To make sure that LMG can't touch him, to check that the asshat Waters doesn't come back for him. DROMEN knows that the transformation took almost everything away from who they used to be, but not this. The reason they became what they did stays; everything about Daniel Powell is seared into their memory. It's the one thing left of them that is human, and they wouldn't trade it for the world or for any other power in the world. When DROMEN first started to try and help Dan, they couldn't speak much to him but they did what they could with tapes. It was disheartening to realize they couldn't get him out without excess pain and the possibility that he wouldn't come out. 

That was the one thing they couldn't risk. 

The fact that most of the eldritch creatures that surrounded them knew about their failure made everything incredibly hard. STATICMAN taking it lightly, using the information against them, like it was something as minuscule as a mole on their face. It hurt, to hear those words come from his mouth. They had tried so hard. 

DROMEN didn't realize how much they needed this hug until it happened, and it was nice. Dan was still shorter than them so it felt like hugging a stuffed animal from your childhood. It's a nice hug. 

The hug breaks and Dan continues to smile at his best friend(s). "So, buddies, is there any other reason you dropped in?' His expression is light, a smirk working its way onto his features. "There is none besides our primary concern; your safety," DROMEN replies, moving their eyes to look at the couch. They look embarrassed, in a way a multi-person being can only be when they still look like who they were before. It's quiet, for a moment, "Thank you, DROMEN," Dan says. His smile shifted into something soft. DROMEN attempts to smile back but is unsure how they should. Their own perception of themself is different than what Dan sees. 

Dan and DROMEN shift into a comfortable impromptu movie night, a random movie queued up on Netflix while the popcorn pops in the microwave. 

"Dan, I do have a question," DROMEN states, "Go ahead my dudes." DROMEN shifts uncomfortably for a moment, "What do you see when you look at us? Everyone perceives something different." 

Dan lets out a short laugh, "I see Mark."

"Oh. That's... not what we were expecting." They reply, hoping that there is a smile on the perception that Dan sees because they feel happy. Dan sees them how they wanted him to, he sees them as a friend, as his friend. It feels like a weight off their chest. Dan smiles at them and it feels real. It is grounding to feel. 

The movie night was short lived when DROMEN had been called to a job, to communicate with their new colleagues. They stood in Dan's doorway for a moment, until Dan spoke up, "It was good...seeing you...yous? It's gonna take me a bit to get used to that.." he lets out a short laugh. DROMEN responds with a small laugh, "It was good seeing you too, Dan." DROMEN turns to walk outside and transport, but they stop for a moment. they turn back to Dan, "Would... would it be okay if... if we came back?" 

Dan smiles, "Yeah, yeah I'd like that." DROMEN smiles, they turn back to the hallway and transport away with a warm feeling in their chest. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please ignore my ugly sobbing thanks. marc if ur reading this, please dont hurt my boys. i love them so much.
> 
> [ My First Tweet On This Concept](https://twitter.com/firebranddad/status/1147056801529192450)  
> [ My HC About DROMEN](https://twitter.com/firebranddad/status/1147059924184293377)


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